GCM’s Industry News Digest: August 2022

The latest golf course product and industry news, curated for golf course superintendents and other turf industry professionals.

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Golf industry news May 2022
Editor’s note: The GCM team will be doing our best to maintain an up-to-date feed of announcements on this page. If you have news you think belongs here, please email Scott Hollister.

Monday, August 1

  • The Turf & Ornamentals business of Bayer is offering lawn care operators and golf course superintendents significant savings on its innovative turf management solutions. Until September 30, the NOW Solutions program has four ways to save, including volume discounts, select product rebates, tier rebates and pairing rebates on essential products, so turf professionals can manage even the most difficult-to-control weeds, diseases and insects.To learn more, contact your distributor representative or visit es.bayer.us/now-solutions to select products and calculate your savings.
  • Offering more power and more choices than ever before, Briggs & Stratton is excited to announce the launch of the new Vanguard® 7kWh* Diecast Commercial Battery. The 7kWh pack comes as an answer to OEMs’ requests for a flexible battery solution that can be utilized in a wider variety of applications including turf, golf and recreation. With this latest addition, Vanguard now offers a competitive range of battery power solutions including 1.5kWh, 3.8kWh, 5kWh and 10kWh options. Designed for a life of up to 2,000 cycles with almost no scheduled maintenance needs and backed by a robust three year commercial limited warranty, the 7kWh Commercial Battery delivers the reliable, powerful performance OEMs have come to expect from Vanguard. For more information about the battery pack and all Vanguard electrification solutions, click here.
  • Pro Turf International (PTI), a Las Vegas-based construction, landscape and golf maintenance company, is celebrating its 30th anniversary of serving golf courses around the country in a maintenance and construction capacity. PTI’s client list includes such high-profile Las Vegas courses as Cascata Golf Club, Shadow Creek Golf Club, Rio Secco Golf Course, Las Vegas National and Red Rock Country Club. It also works with Coral Mountain Golf Club in Southern California, Wildfire Golf Club in Scottsdale and Wigwam Resort in Litchfield Park, Ariz. “We have been privileged over the years to work with many of the very best golf courses and course managers in the southwest,” says CEO Mickey Brown. “What we are most proud of is the length of many of those relationships. Our customer-first philosophy has led to many solid relationships that we still cherish today.” Visit www.ptigolf.com.

Thursday, August 4

  • Primera awarded three winners of the inaugural Kropp Strong Scholarship program at the organization’s Annual Meeting and Trade Show July 18-20 in Madison, Wis. The Kropp Strong Scholarship program honors past Primera Board Chairman Michael Kropp. The inaugural scholarship winners were Hailey Bohrer, a finance major going into her senior year at the University of West Virginia, Rosabella Pitera, who is pursuing her Medical Doctorate at the University of Minnesota, and John Martin IV, an Engineering student at the University of North Georgia.
  • The employee-owners of PBI-Gordon Corporation announced the promotion of Eric Smith to vice president of regulatory, formulation, and GLP, and the promotion of Jason Manz to the newly-created role of vice president, strategic marketing, and new business development. After holding regulatory and research positions with United Industries Corporation and Incyte Genomics, Smith joined PBI-Gordon in 2014 as federal registrations manager – responsible for the management of all FIFRA-related regulatory actions in support of the registration and sale of PBI-Gordon products. Since then, Smith’s duties have expanded to include oversight of the company’s lab services team, oversight of state and federal regulatory affairs, the development and execution of strategic and tactical plans, and staff mentorship. In his new role, Manz will lead PBI-Gordon’s planning process to develop, enhance and implement strategic marketing and operations plans. He will also serve as the lead for the company’s subsidiaries in the areas of acquisitions, licensing of technology, negotiations with third parties, and sourcing the development of new business opportunities that support PBIGordon’s overall growth strategy.

  • Wednesday, August 17

  • Bayer’s Environmental Science Professional business announced it will become Envu as a standalone company, contingent on the successful close of Cinven’s acquisition of the business from Bayer.  Pronounced “ehn-VIEW”, the name is derived from “environment” and “vision” and developed with input from both employees and customers around the world.

    “As a trusted industry leader, we know that ensuring continued customer success requires strong partnerships and a renewed perspective,” said Gilles Galliou, president of the Environmental Science Professional business at Bayer and future CEO of the new standalone company. “That’s why Envu will be dedicated to bringing customers innovative solutions to help them push their business forward and tackle the toughest challenges our environments face today.”

    From now until the divestment transaction officially closes, the organization will remain the Environmental Science Professional business of Bayer. However, the company looks forward to fully launching its new corporate identity upon the successful close, which is on track for later this year.  The business will also continue to proudly collaborate with Bayer as a standalone company.

Monday, August 29

  • RISE (Responsible Industry for a Sound Environment) members gathered for the association’s 32nd annual meeting on shoreline property of Lake Oconee, Georgia on Aug. 22-24. Over 150 attendees met to actualize five-year strategic plan goals of collaborating, engaging and convening as an industry that serves as the voice of specialty pesticides and fertilizers. Learn more about the event at RISE’s website.

  • Nufarm has tapped Chris Fronczek as golf market manager to expand Nufarm’s commercial support and development in the golf market. Fronczek will support the current portfolio of proven fungicides and herbicides, as well as Nufarm’s leading plant growth regulator, Anuew™, and lead the expansion of these solutions across the US with golf course superintendents. Read the full release on Nufarm's website.

  • Hylio has introduced the AG-110, a small and nimble drone that meets legal requirements to be flown safely within residential and mixed-use areas. The lightweight and compact design of the drone make it easy to set up and operate by one person, without sacrificing capabilities. The AG-110 has a 2.6-gallon tank and can deploy up to a 20-foot-wide swath of product, or it can spot spray with precision down to a centimeter. The AG-110 can treat up to 15 acres per hour at a 1-gallon per acre application rate, and even greater coverage can be achieved using multiple drones. Learn more on Hylio's website.
  • Products based on the herbicide active ingredient 2,4-D have been a consistent and dependable tool for farmers around the world for decades. In response, Albaugh has initiated a project to substantially increase the in-house production of the active ingredient over the next few years. Albaugh will substantially increase the production of key intermediates such as chlorine, caustic soda and monochloroacetic acid based on commodity raw materials in Argentina. The final products for the market in USA will be produced at the company’s North America manufacturing facility in Saint Joseph, Mo. The project will be initiated this year. Read the full release on Albaugh’s website.